diff --git a/src/kernel/apps/rld/rldelf.c b/src/kernel/apps/rld/rldelf.c
index e86945dbf8..3c22cc7d27 100644
--- a/src/kernel/apps/rld/rldelf.c
+++ b/src/kernel/apps/rld/rldelf.c
@@ -504,27 +504,23 @@ map_image(int fd, char const *path, image_t *image, bool fixed)
 				 * but only the first segment gets a free ride
 				 */
 				load_address = 0;
-				addr_specifier = REGION_ADDR_ANY_ADDRESS;
+				addr_specifier = B_ANY_ADDRESS;
 			} else {
 				load_address = image->regions[i].vmstart + image->regions[i-1].delta;
-				addr_specifier = REGION_ADDR_EXACT_ADDRESS;
+				addr_specifier = B_EXACT_ADDRESS;
 			}
 		} else {
 			/*
 			 * not relocatable, put it where it asks or die trying
 			 */
 			load_address = image->regions[i].vmstart;
-			addr_specifier = REGION_ADDR_EXACT_ADDRESS;
+			addr_specifier = B_EXACT_ADDRESS;
 		}
 
 		if (image->regions[i].flags & RFLAG_ANON) {
-			image->regions[i].id = sys_vm_create_anonymous_region(
-				region_name,
-				(void **)&load_address,
-				addr_specifier,
-				image->regions[i].vmsize,
-				REGION_WIRING_LAZY,
-				LOCK_RW);
+			image->regions[i].id = _kern_create_area(region_name, (void **)&load_address,
+				addr_specifier, image->regions[i].vmsize, B_NO_LOCK,
+				B_READ_AREA | B_WRITE_AREA);
 
 			if (image->regions[i].id < 0)
 				goto error;
@@ -582,7 +578,7 @@ unmap_image(image_t *image)
 	unsigned i;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < image->num_regions; i++) {
-		sys_vm_delete_region(image->regions[i].id);
+		_kern_delete_area(image->regions[i].id);
 
 		image->regions[i].id = -1;
 	}
diff --git a/src/kernel/apps/rld/rldheap.c b/src/kernel/apps/rld/rldheap.c
index 458ed92215..dbb1110b22 100644
--- a/src/kernel/apps/rld/rldheap.c
+++ b/src/kernel/apps/rld/rldheap.c
@@ -35,13 +35,9 @@ static char      *rld_ptr;
 void
 rldheap_init(void)
 {
-	rld_region = sys_vm_create_anonymous_region(
-		(char *)names[sys_get_current_team_id() % (sizeof(names) / sizeof(names[0]))],
-		(void **)&rld_base,
-		REGION_ADDR_ANY_ADDRESS,
-		RLD_SCRATCH_SIZE,
-		REGION_WIRING_LAZY,
-		LOCK_RW);
+	rld_region = _kern_create_area((char *)names[sys_get_current_team_id() % (sizeof(names) / sizeof(names[0]))],
+		(void **)&rld_base, B_ANY_ADDRESS, RLD_SCRATCH_SIZE,
+		B_NO_LOCK, B_READ_AREA | B_WRITE_AREA);
 
 	/*
 	 * Fill in the gap upto RLD_PROGRAM_BASE,
@@ -51,12 +47,9 @@ rldheap_init(void)
 	 * Not doing these leads to some funny troubles with some
 	 * libraries.
 	 */
-	rld_region_2 = sys_vm_create_anonymous_region("RLD_padding",
-		(void **)&rld_base_2,
-		REGION_ADDR_ANY_ADDRESS,
-		RLD_PROGRAM_BASE - (uint32)(rld_base + RLD_SCRATCH_SIZE),
-		REGION_WIRING_LAZY,
-		LOCK_RW);
+	rld_region_2 = _kern_create_area("RLD_padding", (void **)&rld_base_2,
+		B_ANY_ADDRESS, RLD_PROGRAM_BASE - (uint32)(rld_base + RLD_SCRATCH_SIZE),
+		B_NO_LOCK, B_READ_AREA | B_WRITE_AREA);
 
 	rld_ptr = rld_base;
 }
diff --git a/src/kernel/libroot/posix/malloc/arch-specific.cpp b/src/kernel/libroot/posix/malloc/arch-specific.cpp
index ebf8ba43f1..084dc76c08 100644
--- a/src/kernel/libroot/posix/malloc/arch-specific.cpp
+++ b/src/kernel/libroot/posix/malloc/arch-specific.cpp
@@ -78,12 +78,13 @@ int hoardGetNumProcessors (void)
 static region_id heap_region = -1;
 static addr brk;
 
-int __heap_init()
+int
+__heap_init()
 {
 	// XXX do something better here
-	if(heap_region < 0) {
-		heap_region = sys_vm_create_anonymous_region("heap", (void **)&brk,
-			REGION_ADDR_ANY_ADDRESS, 4*1024*1024, REGION_WIRING_LAZY, LOCK_RW);
+	if (heap_region < 0) {
+		heap_region = create_area("heap", (void **)&brk,
+			B_ANY_ADDRESS, 4*1024*1024, B_NO_LOCK, B_READ_AREA | B_WRITE_AREA);
 	}
 	return 0;
 }